Oral Conditions, Salivary pH, Flow Rate, Phosphate Level, and Phosphorus Intake of Pre- and Postmenopausal Women.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional comparative observational study
PubMed 39657940 · doi:10.1055/s-0044-1795076
What was done
This cross-sectional study compared oral health, salivary parameters, and dietary phosphorus intake between 68 postmenopausal women (aged 45–65, menopausal duration ≥2 years) and 94 premenopausal women (aged 21–40). Participants with systemic diseases or dental treatments in the previous 6 months were excluded. Clinical visual examinations assessed intraoral inflammation, ulcers, plaque, calculus, mobility, and caries. Questionnaires evaluated xerostomia, burning mouth sensations, and dietary phosphorus intake via a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected to measure flow rate, pH, and phosphate levels using atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
What was found
Postmenopausal women had a significantly higher prevalence (p < 0.005) of gingival swelling, gingival discoloration, gingival recession, plaque, calculus, caries, tooth mobility, xerostomia, and burning sensation. After adjusting for age, BMI, and blood pressure, salivary flow rate remained significantly lower in the postmenopausal group (p = 0.008). No significant differences were found between groups for salivary pH (p = 0.764), salivary phosphate levels (p = 0.142), or dietary phosphorus intake (p = 0.323). Salivary phosphate levels showed no significant correlation with age, BMI, blood pressure, or phosphorus intake (all p > 0.30). Absolute numerical means were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
The study indicates that postmenopausal status is associated with reduced salivary flow and increased oral discomfort and pathology, independent of dietary phosphorus intake or salivary phosphate concentrations.
Limits
The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality. Large age differences between cohorts (21–40 vs 45–65 years) present substantial risk of age-related confounding despite statistical adjustment. Exact numerical means, standard deviations, and effect sizes for salivary metrics are omitted in the abstract, and female sex hormones were not directly quantified.
Cited by
- contradicts Salivary pH in pregnant women, older women, and individuals with dry mouth drops to 5.5 or 6.